CIA beefs up training of moderate Syrian rebels

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Washington Post

CIA beefs up training of moderate Syrian rebels
GREG Miller
| The Washington Post
First Published 3 hours ago • Updated 3 hours ago

Washington • The CIA is expanding a clandestine effort to train opposition fighters in Syria amid concern that moderate, U.S.-backed militias are rapidly losing ground in the country’s civil war, U.S. officials said.

But the CIA program is so minuscule that it is expected to produce only a few hundred trained fighters each month even after it is enlarged, a level that officials said will do little to bolster rebel forces, who are being eclipsed by radical Islamists in the fight against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The CIA’s mission, officials said, has been defined by the White House’s desire to seek a political settlement, a scenario that relies on an eventual stalemate among the warring factions rather than a clear victor. As a result, officials said, limits on the agency’s authorities enable it to provide enough support to help ensure that politically moderate, U.S.-supported militias don’t lose but not enough for them to win.

The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, said the agency has sent additional paramilitary teams to secret bases in Jordan in recent weeks in a push to double the number of rebel fighters getting CIA instruction and weapons before being sent back to Syria.


Read more: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/56952610-68/cia-officials-syria-fighters.html.csp

[avaistheone1]

1. "moderate" Syrian rebels, eh?

[gordianot]

2. I wonder how one gets to be a "moderate rebel"?

Do you have to take a test?

[Ash_F]

5. No eating the enemy /nt

[Indi Guy]

3. Here we go again.

Haven't we seen this scenario played out way too many times?

No wonder all these nations want nukes -- the ones that do have them don't have the CIA messing with them.

[Ash_F]

4. How can they do that when the government is shut down?

Oh right.

[dipsydoodle]

6. Similar was done by the US in Georgia

prior to the 2008 South Ossetia war. Israel did the same there too. Fat lot of good it did.

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Let's see now, USA helped the Taliban against Russia

.
.
.

That worked out well, no? - NO. - . Beware help from the USA y'all;

It will literally come back and bite you in the ass.

Ask Saddam - oh wait - USA got him hung after they "helped" him against Iran,

and left his country in shambles after 2 wars and a messy invasion.

Should make one ponder . . .



CC

[ButterflyBlood]

15. The Taliban did not exist at the time

For that matter neither did Russia as a country. But it was clearly the dominant part of the Soviet Union. The Taliban did not exist in any capacity until 1992.

[ConcernedCanuk]

16. The Taliban movement traces its origin to the Pakistani-trained mujahideen in northern Pakistan

.
.
.

The Taliban movement traces its origin to the Pakistani-trained mujahideen in northern Pakistan, during the Soviet war in Afghanistan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban
____________________________________________________________________________________________

The Taliban was one of the Mujahideen factions that formed during the Soviet occupation and the internal fighting in Afghanistan.

http://www-pub.naz.edu/~aamghar6/History%20of%20the%20Taliban.htm
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

And yes, I should have referred to the conflict as being with the Soviet Union,

later to be broken up with the most dominant remainder being today`s Russia.

Also, it would have been more precise to say that the USA supplied the rebels/insurgents, whatever, and it was the mujahideen at the time, sort of morphed into the taliban.

The fact is, USA is fighting against weapons it supplied to the rebels/insurgents decades ago.

Now USA is considering arming the rebels in Syria,

makes me wonder . . . .

CC

[leveymg]

8. Memo to CIA: Moderate finance and logistics expert. Please step up his arms and training

Khalid Sheikh Mohamed (KSM, "Kiss him&quot Long term ties to the US. Went to college in California. Fluent in English and usual languages. Knowledgeable project manager. Enjoys travel, adventure. Hobbies: scuba diving, air travel.

Assessment: Proven leadership value. Highly recommended by Saudi Intelligence. Westernized. Moderate, non-Islamic lifestyle. Strong anti-Russian views.

Recommend: Release, arm, equip, and train him so he can organize other like-minded moderates for proxy war in Syria.

- CIA Field Recruitment, Guatanamo Bay.

[reddread]

9. In Blood We Trust

the hypocrisy. the lies. the sheep. the wolves.
seems like those anti-gun folks get real quiet when it matters.

[reddread]

11. kid tested

marketing focus group approved.

[MisterP]

12. we're not involved! the Peacemonger stopped another war! :crazy:

[Enrique]

13. today is the 20th anniversary of "Black Hawk Down"

in which knowhow learned from the CIA years earlier in Afghanistan was used to shoot down American helicopters.

If and when this training (and arming) comes back against us, it will be years later and Syria will have been forgotten.

[Nihil]

14. Not a problem in their eyes ...

... it will be in a different election cycle so it doesn't matter (and in the meantime,
the arms suppliers will have been meeting their profit goals thus paying out their
bonuses ...).